Sakura Plaza Grande...never again!
 

My wife and I like to eat a late lunch/early dinner. Today we were going to the 5PM Polo match so she chose Sakura in Plaza Grande. We arrived at 2:45 and were given the lunch menu which goes until 3PM. We sat at the bar and a server brought us a lunch menu. I guess they were understaffed because there was no real bartender. My wife ordered a glass of wine which was promptly brought to her. I ordered a Margarita which didn't arrive until after 3:15. We were ready to order when the server said it is after lunch menu and here is the dinner menu...with prices twice as expensive. We explained that we were there before 3PM and the server said that it was after 3 so dinner menu only. I asked for the manager and explained what happened. He said in his broken English "After 3 no lunch." I said that we were there before 3 and that is why we had lunch menus. He said again "after 3 no lunch only dinner. We paid for our drinks and left. When we left he said "thank you, come again." I told him we wont be back. I was patient enough to wait for my drink almost a half an hour after my wife got her drink, but when the server pulled the lunch menus from our hands and handed us dinner menus at twice the price and the manager backed her up, that was it for me.

I just don't understand this kind of customer service. How is this nonsense going to keep a restaurant in business? Ludicrous!

Definitely lacking in customer service. So sorry that happened to you.

That service reminded me of a Jerry Seinfeld episode.

Rollie

"No Soup for You".............

I see the problem, if you sit at the bar and drink then order after 3 you are no longer ordering lunch. If you had ordered before 3 then you would be right. In this case I believe the Manger is correct.

TomOB: Your position is correct and while I can't support my suspicion I believe this place may have purposeful ignored you with the idea that their cook was gearing up for dinner. And, if they didn't do so intentionally then their service is very poor indeed . The manager's attitude is instructive of the entire establishment since he sets the culture.

the customer is always right. Never heard of that??

Dolpterry, whether we sat at a table or the bar makes on difference. If they wait until after 3 to ask for our orders that is poor service on their part. We would have ordered all at once before 3 but weren't given the chance.

Vote with your feet, I always say.
And I'm surprised Kevin did that.

Skip

I went back and read your original post carefully. You said you were ready to order at 3:15. Does that mean what it says, that you weren't ready to order before 3:00 even though you were given lunch menus when you walked in at 2:45? When you sat at the bar and ordered the wine and drink, did you indicate that you were also ordering lunch? I'm just trying to understand exactly what happened.

Although I think that customer service is more important, it could be that they were gearing up for dinner, it was after 3:00, and even though you were given lunch menus, you didn't signal your intention to order lunch when you ordered your drinks.:shrug:

CFrance, you don't quote my OP and you weren't there. To all of you that love Sakuras, go and enjoy. I will not be back. When my wife was served her wine I figured that my drink was coming next. She served several tables drinks before I got my drink and then she asked for our order and then switched menus. I did indicate that we were ready to order when we ordered our drinks and she ran away before we could order. I explained this to the manager and was treated poorly. I am saying that we will not be back after being treated the way we were treated. I will not go back and I have told plenty of people of our experience and they will not go there. The majority of people responding to this thread agree with me. Bad management and bad service = out of business soon. Even if we had sat at a table and ordered water, if they took so much time serving it would it make a difference?

No, I wasn't there, nor have I ever been to Sakura, either location, so I am not dissing you. Just trying to clarify what I thought was some confusion in your explanation of what happened. I thought I had politely asked my question. Sorry if I offended you. I do believe they should have erred on the side of customer service, but if as another poster suggested the kitchen had shut down the lunch and started up the dinner, there might have been some reason. However, your further explanation explains it all. It's hard to believe they couldn't have accommodated you if they really cared about customer service.

Sounds like a place to cross off our list for certain.

They were given a Lunch Menu when they arrived. Plain and simple.

Here's the part I don't get. At Sakuras they serve mostly sushi. It's the same stuff whether it's for lunch or supper. It's not like McDonalds where they have to transition from eggs to burgers. It wouldn't have been any problem at all for you to order from the lunch menu. They should have accommodated you. Bad management!

Im courious, what did it matter, you were there to eat. Lunch or dinner, just order off the dinner menu. Not sure I quite understand.

I think he mentioned that the dinner prices were higher than the lunch prices.

Seinfeld, four!

So it was a matter of price? Not bad service, not bad food, maybe a matter of an extra 10 bucks? That's why they get a bad post? I know Ive gone into McDonalds at 10:25am and they were into lunch menu, That's their rule, so I ordered lunch and spent a little more. I just don't see why they should get a bad post over their rule, guess Im a bit more relaxed and not up tight.

Must say, I agree with the OP and would have reacted similarly.

Bottom line they arrived 15 min before the change, and it was not their fault there was a long delay getting their drinks (apparently 1/2 hour). Now, if THEY delayed deciding on what to have or wanted to enjoy their drinks before ordering - different story. But since the order delay was the restaurant's fault (per the OP as I read it), the restaurant should certainly have honored their desire to order from the lunch menu. period.

Perhaps (as we do most times) want something lighter for lunch...and spend a bit less too.

I'm all for giving someone the benefit of the doubt - but in this case if true, I would be hot under the collar as well. And surely take my business elsewhere - and tell the story to warn others.

I believe the restaurant was entirely in the wrong. I go to Red Lobster a lot with my mom, who is a very petite lady and does not eat big meals. We may go there at 5 or 6:00 and my mother asks to order off the lunch menu. We have never had them tell us "No". It's basically the same food, just smaller portions and price.

Vote with your feet and tell others .
They just can`t buy that type of advertising !

SAKURA---JAPANESE RESTAURANT

We have been to the one in Colony Plaza a few times. The prices were a little high but very good food. Very busy and it seemed that the staff were not all that proficient in English.

Maybe, if you contact them and tell them your concerns? http://sakurathevillages.com/contact.asp